MHA's parent support programs were started in 1994 by a dedicated volunteer and grandmother, Nancy McCulley, who wished she'd had a support group when her children were little. Eventually MHA received grant funds to create a position that started part-time and evolved into a full-time job. A parent support group was formed, initially affiliated with Parents Anonymous, a national organization. McCulley, now deceased, trained Judith Allee to take her place in 1997. In 2000, MHA changed the name of its parent support group to Parent Support (PS) because the word "anonymous" appeared to create a barrier for struggling parents who wanted to learn new skills. Today PS programs include a support group that offers free daytime and evening meetings with free childcare, as well as telephone support and over 50 workshops a year, many of which include meals and childcare. Although she's the only paid PS staff person, Allee utilizes a volunteer brigade of over 20 people a year to bring programs throughout Licking County.

Click here to see our current flyer

Click here for a news release about MHA's Prosperity and Problem-Solving Suppers.

Click here for a WOSU news story on Getting Ahead grad Greg Waller.  (This is an MP3 file and may take a while to download.)

Click here for a WOSU news story on Getting Ahead grads Madelynn May and Peg Wachenschwanz.  (This is an MP3 file and may take a while to download.)

Prosperity Problem-Solving Suppers

• Business professional backgrounds (including retirees and college students)

• Service clubs

• Faith-based organizations

• Social services

• Government

Getting Ahead class members grads

Volunteer advocates (allies) serve as mentors to low-income parents (investigators) who are enrolled in, or have graduated from, MHA' s Getting Ahead (GA) classes. PPSS uses the problem-solving expertise of low-income people to find solutions for poverty in their own communities.

The suppers, funded in part by United Way Community Impact funds, will include education and activities focusing on wellness.

MHALC already sponsors GA classes for low-income parents. We're exploring the possibility of becoming a 'Bridges Out of Poverty' Community (see www.AhaProcess.com for more info.), which includes the Circles(R) program (see www.MoveTheMountain.org). Circles partners people in poverty or near poverty with people from other economic classes to work on poverty issues both for individual families and for the community as a whole. PPSS is a 1st step toward bringing Circles or similar services to our county.

Recommended background reading:

Bridges Out of Poverty (Payne-DeVol-Dreussi-Smith) See links file.

Until It's Gone (Miller)